Mean Metal Motors, venture of 3 Manipal students, that wants to be Volkswagen of India

The company, which is being incubated in the Manipal Innovation Center, is in talks with UK’s motorsport engine and electronics provider Cosworth for a technology investment.

It was while participating in a college competition in 2012 that three young students—Sarthak Paul, Aman Bansal and Ananya Rao—realised that they had the potential to make it big in automobiles. After all, the remote control car they built for Quark, BITS Pilani's tech festival, had gone on to win the first prize. But it took two years of planning for the three Manipal Institute of Technology students to launch Mean Metal Motors in 2014.

"At this stage, we are in the research and development phase. There is a lot more to go, before we start manufacturing," said Paul, 21, a third-year automobile engineering student. The trio plans to manufacture two types of cars—a go-kart (small, fourwheeled vehicle) and the supercar—in the next three years along with providing car consultancy services.

"Our go-kart is going to be one of the best in the world," said a confident Bansal, 21, whose startup is talking with companies in Germany and Italy to acquire raw material for it. There are various steps involved in the manufacturing of a car, said Bansal. The concept and design of the car, once conceived and translated digitally or on paper, will go through a panel of advisors, the respective country's regulations and then, finally, to the manufacturer. Manufacturing a go-kart is relatively easier in terms of both time and money. It is an entry level machine with only the basic components—chassis, steering system, brakes and axle—that doesn't involve suspensions or electronics.

The company, which is being incubated in the Manipal Innovation Center, is in talks with UK's motorsport engine and electronics provider Cosworth for a technology investment. The venture also received a technology investment through Portuguese automotive designer and entrepreneur Pedro Almeida of D'Almeida Automotives, a car design company.

"For Mean Metal Motors we laid out a strategy that will enable us to raise funds for each stage of development," said Almeida, who is now the chief designer and mentor of Mean Metal Motors. "The risk of building an automotive company from scratch is huge. We take calculated risks by dividing the whole process in different stages." The startup is in touch with IIT Kharagpur's entrepreneurship cell for the super car project. But getting financial support is not easy. Investors are apprehensive about potential losses as there are no immediate tangible results.

But mentorship and technological support from India's Formula One trainer Akbar Ebrahim, racing academies and the Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India has given this startup the confidence to take this bold step. "We want to be the Volkswagen of India," said Paul, who, along with other two, are looking to host a karting championship next February in Bangalore.